Selecting a CC License

Catherine Gracey

Selecting a CC License © 2025 by Catherine Gracey is licensed under Creative Commons BY 4.0 International License

So you're thinking about applying a CC license!

  1. The layers of CC licenses
  2. The four license elements
  3. The six CC licenses
  4. Public domain tools
  5. How copyright limitations and exceptions apply to CC licensed work

Here's the critical information:

By default, copyright applies an 'all rights reserved' approach to copyright, and CC licenses allow authors to make appropriate uses clear.

 

There are 3 layers to CC licenses, that work to 1) spell out legal language, 2) make uses clear to humans, and 3) integrate with software

Copyright & CC licenses

The layer of the license that interacts directly with the law

This is the version of the license that lawyers would draw from if they ever had to argue about about appropriate uses in courses.

Legal Code

The layer of the license that is accessible to most humans and spells out simply how works can be used

This layer alone is not legally enforceable - it's 'translating' the legal code into more digestible language. This is likely the layer of the license you're most familiar with.

Commons Deed

The layer of the license that can be added to websites so that machines/software can 'read' it

This layer allows for machines to interpret CC licenses without human involvement. When this layer is applied, software can retrieve CC licensed work specifically, making CC work more accessible to users

Machine Read-able

These 3 layers work together to make licenses legally enforceable, understandable to humans, and able to interface with software.

 

Each license has these 3 layers, regardless of what the license actually specifies. We'll now get into the elements of the licenses, which is what changes use cases.

Putting it together

License Elements

Attribution (BY)

NonCommercial (NC)

ShareAlike (SA)

NoDerivatives (ND)

Attribution (BY)

  • Only element in every CC license
  • Means that users should attribute or credit the original creator

Non

Commercial (NC)

  • Used in 3 CC licenses
  • Means that uses of this work most be for purposes not driven by making money
  • Usage is critical, not the user

No Derivatives (ND)

  • Used in 2 CC licenses
  • Means that users should not share or publish versions of the work that have been changed

Share Alike (SA)

  • Used in 2 CC licenses
  • Means that if you adapt and want to reshare or publish, you must do so with a compatible license 

The Making of a License

These 4 elements are combined into 6 different licenses

From most to least permissive, they are as follows:

CC BY

  • Users must credit the creator or author
  • Any uses are allowed
  • Any changes can be made

CC BY-SA

  • Users must credit the creator or author
  • Derivatives must be shared under the same license

CC BY-NC

  • Users must credit the creator or author
  • Any changes can be made
  • Uses of this work are only allowed for cases where the intention is not to make profit

CC BY-NC-SA

  • Users must credit the creator or author
  • Uses of this work are only allowed for cases where the intention is not to make profit
  • Derivatives must be shared under the same license

CC BY-ND

  • Users must credit the creator or author
  • Users can not share adaptations or derivative works

CC BY-NC-ND

  • Users must credit the creator or author
  • Uses of this work are only allowed for cases where the intention is not to make profit
  • Users can not share adaptations or derivative works

In addition to the 6 CC licenses, there are also two public domain tools

It's important to note some countries don't allow rightsholders to put their work into the public domain, so the CC0 tool is structured like this:

  1. A waiver of copyright rights
  2. Fallback license (in case waiver fails)
  3. Statement/promise from creator that they will not come after reusers with copyright claims (if both the above fail)

CC0

CC0 (CC Zero)

  • Allows authors to dedicate their own work to the public domain
  • Indicates rightsholder is allowing for free use of copyright
  • Does not apply to trademark & patent rights
  • Has 3 layers similar to the CC licenses

Public Domain Mark

  • Allows people to label works  that they know to be in the public domain
  • Different from CC in that you can label the works of others
  • More of a sign or label than a license

But what about Copyright exceptions and limitations?

CC licenses do not change copyright law, they work with it. Therefore, in the case of uses that fall under fair use/fair dealing or another exception or limitation to copyright, you don't have to follow the terms of CC licenses.

Copyright exceptions and limitations

Based on what we learned about copyright exceptions and limitations last session, can you think of an example of a case where CC licenses wouldn't apply to your use?

Thanks!

Contact me via email if you have any questions

catherine.gracey@unb.ca

“3.1 License Design and Terminology” (https://creativecommons.org/course/cc-cert-edu/unit-3-anatomy-of-a-cc-license/3-1-license-design-and-terminology/) by Creative Commons. CC BY 4.0.

“3.2 License Scope” (https://creativecommons.org/course/cc-cert-edu/unit-3-anatomy-of-a-cc-license/3-2-license-scope/) by Creative Commons. CC BY 4.0.

“3.3 License Types” (https://creativecommons.org/course/cc-cert-edu/unit-3-anatomy-of-a-cc-license/3-3-license-types/) by Creative Commons. CC BY 4.0.

 

 

Sources

CC Licenses

By Catherine Gracey

CC Licenses

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